I'm Sioux Roslawski and this is my blog about writing, dogs, grown-up children, menopause, the joy of a marvelous book, classroom teaching in general, and specifically, the teaching of writing. You can email me at sroslawski(at)yahoo(dot)com.

The Pyrenees---Southern France

Friday, April 15, 2016

Believe it or not, it's time for another stretching session. Stretch your writing skills--and have fun--by trying your hand at a book blurb. Here are the guidelines:

Use the photo of the statue (the photo is mine) as the front cover of a book.

You decide what kind of book it is. A sci-fi novel. A YA story. A murder mystery. A how-to book.

You come up with a title and a blurb--the blurb is the bit that will appear on the back cover, prompting people to buy the gook.

Your blurb should be 150 words or less (not including the title).

You can jazz up the photo any way you'd like. You can put a title on it. You can also include fake reviews.

Post your blurb on your blog, and then link it to this post via Mr. Linky. If you have the time and the inclination, you can also check out the other blurbs, to see what direction they headed in...

And if you enjoy reading these blurbs, go over to Lisa Ricard Claro's site and see what is going on with her. She was the writer who began this prompt a long time ago. Recently she hit the big time with a 3-book publishing deal. Just last week, Lisa was chosen by George R. R. Walker to put a bit "more romance" into the new Game of Thrones season. I can't wait. (Lisa--Can you bring back Jon Snow and Drogo? Pretty please?)

Here is the book cover for this week. For a sneak peek at next week's cover, keep scrolling down.

But it was a game of hide and seek that changed the two children... forever.

One sweltering July afternoon, Barbie and her brother Jerome were hiding behind a wall. One of their friends was counting off. 1. 2. 3. 4. Soon, the voices, the sounds of the birds, the noises from the street--they all disappeared... along with Barbie and Jerome.

The whole town searched, but it was if the two children had simply vanished, like smoke disappearing in a breeze. What happened to Barbie and Jerome? Where did they go? And can anything be done to bring them back? (124 words)

Here is the photo for next week. Mull it over. Drink in the details. And draft something in your head.

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Okay, I admit it: I resisted going with my first idea for a title, since in the picture I am a dog, and I am a female. But I went with "Hot Dog!" instead, to make sure this post is G-rated.

That's me in the dog costume, standing in the median between the lanes of 94 in St. Charles, across from Fazoli's and the QT (if you know the area). Thankfully, it was a chilly April morning, so I was more comfortable in the "Gilda the Golden" costume than I usually am. * Love a Golden--the dog rescue group I volunteer with--was having a rummage sale. That explains why I was in the not-breathable and definitely not-flattering outfit. But what about the how? How do people step out of their comfort zone? How do people get out of their rut? How do any of us try something different--something we've never done before? By taking one step. No, I don't mean here's-the-one-thing-you-need-to-do kind of step. I mean a literal or figurative movement. Move a foot forward. Raise your hand and volunteer. Say, "Sure. I'll try it." Start a new document that's far different from your norm. Wade in at the shallow end. You might find you like it. I once tried to get into a romance anthology. It had a Christmas theme. Romance is something I never write and rarely read. But I wrote a short story, and put a Sioux-spin on it. Lots of snark. Healthy helpings of humor. It was quickly rejected. I enjoyed writing it, and the writers I shared it with thought it was funny. If I had been unwilling to at least attempt it, I would have missed out on the fun I had when I wrote it.

I have a blogging friend who has (probably? privately?) scoffed at my love of Crocs. Most likely, she's seen my posts and photos of the BUS (butt-ugly shoes) and at least mentally laughed at my shoe choice. But then Shay--I mean my unnamed, anonymous blogging friend--tried on a pair. And she found out what I've known for years: wearing Crocs is like wearing a pair of slippers. So what are you going to try that's out of your comfort zone? What are you going to raise your hand and say "yes" to? This "hot dog" wants to know...* Also thankfully, the person who took this picture did not catch me when I was doing my "pointer' routine. To grab more attention, I also danced (in my usual, herky-jerky Elaine Benes dance-style) and also sometimes acted like a pointer dog. I'd lift one leg up and try to hold it straight out while at the same time, I'd also lean forward and "point" with one arm. Being old and fat and out of shape, this resulted in comical results. I'd lose my balance, stumble a bit, and then try to see how close I was to the road. I'm sure I was responsible for some chuckles on that cold Saturday morning...